MLS Superdraft Brings A Superstar Name To The League

Rooney scores at this year's MLS combine in Florida

Let me clarify ... the 2011 MLS Superdraft brought the brother of a superstar. John Rooney, younger brother to Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney, was selected by the New York Red Bull in the second round of yesterday's draft (he was the 25th pick overall).  What's ironic is that John came to the US to separate himself from his brother's reputation and make a name for himself.  I wonder if he had any idea that he would be drafted into the media hotbed that is NYC, alongside other superstars like Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez?  Not exactly the escape he was potentially planning (too bad Kansas City couldn't offer a spot, he could have fallen off the face of the Earth).

“I never expected to be going to the New York Red Bulls. It’s a dream come true for me,” said Rooney, a 5-10, 176-pound midfielder. “They’re probably one of the more well-known MLS teams in England. The league’s a great league, everyone knows the league, and the Red Bulls are such a big club. I never had a clue they would pick me.”

Rooney had been playing in the lower levels of English soccer but was looking for a clean start, away from the shadow of his oft-troubled brother. He trained with Seattle and Portland last summer but decided to come to the MLS Combine last week and show what he could do.

“We know what it’s like to play in the lower divisions in England,” Red Bulls general manager and sporting director Erik Soler said. “The guy is 20 years old. He did well in the combine in a different environment. We think we can develop him.

“It tells something about him when he goes into the combine. It can’t be easy for anybody to have a big brother like that with all the expectations. The fact that he chose to go and show himself off, to sit here and wait for 25 picks, we think it tells a little about the player. We don’t know him that well, but if things run a little bit in the family it might be surprisingly good for everybody.

“We liked what we saw. It’s a $43,000 risk. It’s not a huge risk.”

Like Wayne Rooney, John Rooney came up through the Everton youth system. But while Wayne shot into the Everton lineup as a teenager, John ended up at Macclesfield Town in England’s League Two. He has been looking for a change ever since.

“That’s the whole idea of me coming out here. I just want to build on my own career,” Rooney said. “There were some teams that took a look at me in England but I came over and trained with Seattle and Portland in August. It was just a great experience. I’m looking forward to getting started.”